Performing food safety inspections

Food safety inspections are a health protection measure employed globally to reduce the public health threat presented by foodborne illness. Despite the prevalent application of food safety inspections in the regulation of food businesses, little guidance is available to inspectors on how an inspection should be performed to provide an effective health protection measure. However, before guidelines can be devised, a detailed description of food safety inspection practices must be established. This research identified how Environmental Health Practitioners from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Ireland perform food safety inspections. Data was collected via an online survey disseminated via environmental health professional peak bodies. A total of 267 respondents were surveyed and asked questions relating to common components, important aspects, influential factors and methods employed when undertaking food safety inspections. This study found that there is a common approach to performing food safety inspection across the countries surveyed. A detailed description of the common approach is provided. Some variations in approach were identified and their possible causes were examined. This study provides a basis for evaluation of current food safety inspection practices by presenting a vital and holistic description of food safety inspection practice, while illuminating a course of important issues for further research. •Food safety inspections are performed similarly across different countries.•A common approach to performing inspections has been observed and described.•Social influences are attributable for most differences seen in inspection approach.•Personal preferences of inspectors may be responsible for some variations in approach.•The common inspection approach should be evaluated for its effectiveness.